14 DEC: Stability workout 1

For the next 3 weeks, I'm doing three stability or corrective workouts per week, and three endurance workouts per week. If I can man-up, I'll run on the mornings of the stability workout. This morning, 15DEC, my wife and I woke up at 5:00 AM and talked about why we weren't going running this morning.

But on to better things; 14DEC workout

1. 5 minutes dynamic warm-up: felt good to loosen and get the mind-body connections

2. Windshield-wipers: 2 x 10 each side - felt great to twist the lower spine, work the abs, and get a stretch in the hips & glutes

3. Windmills: 10 each direction - stretching the whole of the torso and working core stability. I feel it in my lats today

4. Yoga lunge: 3 x 30seconds each leg - OUCH!!!! Hip flexors are tight from all the desk jockeying.

5. 3-position sitting stretch: 3 x 20seconds each position - OUCH!! Hams, groin and spine are tight.

6. Cobra pose: 3 x 20seconds - This was great to extend the lower back and stretch the abs, hip flexors, and shoulders

7. Elbow Planks: 2 x 30seconds - Holy crap this is hard!!!!! During the whole time, you are to forcibly contract your transverse abdominus and obliques.

8. Scapular retraction with isometric contraction: 2 x 5(10sec isometric) - I feel this one today. What a great way to correct posture and build some traps at the same time.

9. Lower trap raise with isometric contraction: 8lb dumbbells 2 x 5(10sec isometric) - Cripes! 8lbs felt like 800!!!

10. Glute bridge: Same set /rep / isometric scheme as previous two exercises. This will really put a spotlight on your weak link. I felt it in my hams. My wife felt it in her glutes.


Observations:
  • spot on in terms of time and effort
  • felt very restorative. I ended the session with a weird loose feeling
  • I slept GREAT!!!
  • I woke up with no lower back pain
  • My traps are killing me
  • This will improve my MMA game when I am able to get back to it: better range of motion in striking or grappling.

I'm on day 5 of the 24-day challenge and definitely feel the difference. I'm not snacking on junk food and I don't even have a craving to do so. I'll weigh myself on day 7 to see what a week produces.

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